Automatic gas cut-off.



H. NIBMANN. AUTOMATIC GAS GUT-OFF. APPLIUATION FILED AUG.x'r.19oa.

Patented Jan. 19, 1.90.()A

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HENRY NIEMANIQ, F NEW YGRK, l. Y.

AUTGMATIO GAB OUT-OFF.

`Specification ol Lettera Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

Application tiled Auguut, 17, 190B. Serial No. 448,801.

"To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I HENRY NIEMANN, a citizen of the United tates, residin at the cityof New York, in the borough o Brook [lyon `and State of New York, havel invented ipertain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gas Cut-Offs, of which the following is a. full, clear, and exact description. "My invention relates to an attachment for use with gas fixtures, the purpose of which is to cut .offthe flow of gas from the burner or outlet orifice entirely automatically upon the occurrence of cert-ain prescribed conditions, or in some cases after; a predetermined timeiinterval. In the most ordinary form of the inventionl I'p'rovide'for automatically cutting oil the'ow of gas in case the flame -at the burner is extinguished. V In somo of its aspects the present invention is in the nature of an improvement on the automaticgas cut-oil' set forth in my ptir applicatlonSer'ial No'. 423,322, filed r. 26, '1908, Patent' #899184, Sept. 2 2, 1908, the resent application containingcertain'additional features and advanta es over the prior device. A'Jnong these'fea ures of improvement is the provision of means, or a by-pass, whereby the gas can be instantly turned on at any burner regardless of a previous actuation of the automatic cut oli", and Without waiting for the cut-oli' appliance to be vheated in the manner of my prior application. v

In another aspect the present invention has broadly new features of improvement, notably the provision of means for automatically restoring the device to a condition where it performs its automatic as-cut-ol functions after an initial manipu ation has been made to start the device by establishing a by-pass as above mentioned.

I provide means, within my invention, whereby the flow of gas to a burner can be automatically cut oft' at a certain time i'nterval after, n predetermined manipulation or act, such as blowing out a special pilot flame. IIhe device can also be arran ed to extinguish a. gas flame a.' certain num er of hours after it has been lighted.

With these and various other ob`ccts in view, my invention consists in thefeaturcs of construction and combination as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a gas cut-oil' appliance embodying the principles of my invention; Fig.

2 is a detail view of part of the same; Figs. li and 4 are other detail views, and Fig. 5 is a side view showing a modification.

Referrin to the drawings in which like parts are csignated by the same reference sign, 1 designates a cup or chamber of generally cylindrical outline which forms the casing of the vautomatic cut-olf appliance. In practice Imake the cup 1 of sheet metal, stamped'and drawn in the form shown, with a square perforation 2 in its lower face.

3 designates a collar with a uared portion 4 adapted to lit in the ho e 2, and a threaded recess 5 adjacent thereto which receives a corres ondingly tlireaded nipple on a tube 6 exten ing upward into the cup l. The lower end of the tube 6 as a flange 7 which cooperates with the flange 8 on the collar 3 so as to firmly engage and clamp the lower face of the cup 1, with the square portion 4 of the collar closely received in the square perforation, of the cup. At its lower ond the collar 3 is internally threaded to fit interchangeably upon any as fixture.

The upper end of the tu e 6 has a valve scat 11 foincd by lieveling or coning inward the e ge thereof, and adapted to engage and cooperate with this seat is a valve member 12 iixed to a wire or similar frame 13 of U-shape, which has depending prongs or extremities fastened to a float 15. I make the float 15 of annular shape loosely surrounding the tube 6 and loosely fitting within` the chamber of the cup or casing 1. The connection of the frame 13 with the float 15 is conveniently made by a plate 16 fastened to the float by pins 17 which project 'upward through the plate, being soldered thereto, and are deflected outward at their extremities 18. As man of these pins 17 may be provided as desire being spaced at equal dlstances about the plate 16,V and their bent ends 18 are so deflected that they are all in' the same plane when the valve member l2 is properly engaged upon lts valve seat. 20 designates a guide ring which is fitted into the cup 1 so as to forni a ledge directly above these extremities 18. In order that the guidin ring 20 shall be fixed in n dperfectl leve plane and can be ad juste vertica ly, I thread the interior of the cup 1 with fine micrometer threads 21, the exterior of the ring 20 b'ein corres ondingly threaded so as to screw ownwa and be placed within the cup to a variable or adjustable degree. By screwing the guidsupported through the rod 44 from a lever 45, and capable of aismall degree of up and down movement. The lever 45 is fulcrumed at 46 on the side of the receptacle 40, and the main portion thereof lies' subi-stan tially parallel with said receptacle. ,The upper portion extends horizontally so as to liel over the ,top of the receptacle 40 and provide for the attachment of the piston 43,. The lower end of the vertical arm of the lover 45 projects forwardly, forming a Stop 47, and is provided with a weight 48 which tends to normally throw the lever 45 and the stop 47 thereon to the position shown in Fig. 2, With this form of the invention I make use of a. thumb-Wheel 34, analogous in every way to the thumb-Wheel 34, except prefer ably larger, and having an inwardly projecting pin 49 which moves into engagement with the stop 47 when the lever '45 is in a predetermined position. The lower end of the lever 45 .with the stop 47 thereon is capable ot yielding lateral y to release the pin 49 unless constrained. 50 designates a weight hangin from a crank pin 51 on the front face of t e wheel 34*` in such an angu lar position thereon as to impel the wheel rotatably when the pin 49 rests a ainst the stop 47. Wax or similar congeaing substa nce is poured into the tubular casing .40 and when cold and hard holds the piston 43,

and consequently the lever 45against movement. To initially light the burner, the Wheel 34 is turned by hand to the position shown inthe drawings, with the pin 49 thereon in engagement with the stop 47. At such time the by-pass 30 is opened through the port 52 in the valve 32. The parts are held in these positions because the lower end of the lever 45 is restrained from lateral movement by reason of the iston 43 being submerged in the hardened wax in the receptacle 40, and because the pin 49 is in engagement with the stop 47 on said lever. The weight 50, however, holds thc wheels 34a and consequently the valve 32 under a constant tendency to turn. After a certain interval the wax in the tubular receptacle 40 becomes melted and permits the piston 43 and the lever 45 to yield, thereby7 releasing the pin 4) and the wheel 34, which moves a quarter of a turn, or thereabout,` under the impulse of the weight 50 and closes the valve 32 of the by-pass 30. After this the automatic eut-olf valve 'l2 is adapt-'ed to act in the usual way.

In case a Welsbach burner or the like is employed with my automatic gas cut otit may ,be desirable to malte use of a special heater' to suppl-y the necessary warmth for my automatic cut-oil'. In Fig. lV I have illustrated a small branch pi e connection 53 having,` an outlet orifice or urner 54, the

passage of which may be restricted by an,

adjustment screw 55. 56 designates a small metallic ca e or part adapted t0 fit over the l burner ori ce 54 S0 a8 tO be heated by the [lame thereat. The warmth conducted ,loivnward from this metallic cage is Suicient to open the automatic as cut-0H valve l2 as already described. T ils form of the invention is articularly advantageous since the small lpi ot flame at the burner 54 is exposed at al times and is ,easily blown out when desired. When this ameis extinguished, the warmth therefrom ceases to be transmitted -to the cut-o device which Iaccordingly acts within a predetermined interval, say three or four minutes in ordinary cases. This gives a person time to lock up his premises and leave comfortably after the gas has been arranged to be extinguished, .the gas cutoil` acting a few minutes later when there is no further need for illumination. This form of the invention is also particularly adapted to gas stoves and heaters which may be operated by a rubber hose connection from the fixture. The gas is cut flame. If any occssionshoul arise causing a serions leakage of gas, as for example, by rupture or disconnection o the hose pipe of the heater or stove., the drop in pressure would cause the pilot flame to be extinguished and the automatic gas cutoff would act.

What I claim is: i l. I an automatic gas cut-olf appliance, a rece tacle containing a congealln contractile substance, a valve closed v the contraction and solidification of said substance at normal temperatures and opened by the expansion of said substance when it is meltecha by-pss for establishing communicatiou past said valve, a valve for closingr said by-pass, and a datent fot retaining said last mentioned valve open.

2. In an automatic gas cut-ol` appliance,

a receptac o containing a congealm, contractilc si! stance, a 'valve closed v the contraction and solidlfication of sai Substance at normal temperatures and oyened by the expansion of said substance w en it is melted, a by-pass for establishing communication past said valve, a valve in said bypass having a thumb-wheel, and a lever adapted to be engaged by said thurnb-wheel to hold the last mentioned valve open.

3. In an automatic gas cutoif appliance, a receptacle containing a congealm contractile substance, a valve closed Ey contraction and soliditication oi said Sub stance at normal temperatures and o cned by the expansion of said substance w en it is melted, a by-pass for establishing connnunication vmst said valve, a valve for said bypbss an means for automatically closing sa d last mentioned valve.

4. In an automatic gas cut-otf appliance, a receptacle containing a congealing, conthey oft as before by simply blowin out the pilot A its` traetile substance, a valve closed by the contraction and solidification of sai substance al normal temperatures and oiened by the expansion of said substance w ien it is melted, a by-pass for establishing communication past said valve, a valve for said by pass, and means operated by the heatingof the device for automatica ly closing,r said lust mentioned valve.

5. In an automatic gas cut-oil. appliance, a receptacle containing a congealing, con-Y tractile substance, a valve closed by the contraction and solidification of said, sulstance at normal temperatures and opened by the expansion of said substance when it is melted, a by-pass for establishing communication past saidvalve, a valve in said byass, means for impellin said by-pass valve into closing relation, and means released by the heating of the device for retaining,r said y by-pass valve against the closing movement.

6. In an automatic ga's cutol appliance, a receptacle containing a. congealing, con tractile substance, a valve closed by the contraction and solidilication .of said substance at normal temperatures and opened by the expansion of said substance when it is melted, a by-pass for establishing communication past said valve, a valve in said bypass, moans for normally impelling said by- 'pass valve into closing relation. a receptacle "containing a substance adapted to melt at a tcmperalnre slightly above, no1-mal, and means held against displacement by said sa substance for restraining said by-pass valve against closing movement.

7. In an automatic gas cut-oil appliancey a recelfitaele containing a congealmfr, oontractile substance, a valve closed by the in contraction and soldification of said sul stance at normal temperatures and opened by the expansion of said substance when it is melted, means whereby an ordinary burner may be fixed upon said appliance, and a .y

separate auxiliary burner for maintaining said appliance heated in use.

8. In an automatic gaa cnt-oll appliance, a receptacle containing a oongealinr, con-- tractilo substance, a valve closed by the contraction and'solidilicatiou of said snbstance at normal ter peratures and opened by the expansion of said Substance when it is melted, means; whereby an ordinary burner may be fixed upon said appliance, and a separate auxiliary burner including a small metallic cage exposed to the flame of said auxiliary burner, for maintaining said ap pliance heated in use. l

l). rln an automatic as cut-of a pliance, a cup or chamber ,having a central tube, a float having a valve closing on said tubo, and a guiding ring adjustably received within said chamber to limit' tho upward movement of said float l0. In an automatic gas cut-off agpliance, a cup or chamber having alcential tube, a lioat having upwardly projecting rongs and havin a valve closing over said tube, and a gui in ring threaded into the interior of said c iamber and adapted to be positioned to limit the upward displacement of said float and maintain the latter against lateral movement against the walls of' the chamber,

Il. In an automatic gas cutol a pliance, a cup or chamber having a lower ace with a murcronlar hole, a collar having a por tionltof corresponding non-circular section. a tu e threaded into said colla? and ln a lange cooperating therewith to engage me bottom of' Said chamber, and. a lloat having a valve for closing said tutti` In Witness whereof. I subs: be an;y signature, in the. presence o' two witnesses.

Swtimaimmc,

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